Stupid, stupid, stupid!
Alyssa damned herself for being an idiot. She’d brought her youngest tenants to safety—a pair of four-year-old twins—was coordinating with Detective Kennedy, and watching her home and her life savings literally go up in smoke. But she couldn’t see Simon, and that ate at her. Also, her older tenants might be fierce in mind, but frail in body. She let them cover her retreat while she was hauling the twins, but now it was time to make sure they made it to safety, too.
So as soon as she could, she handed off her phone to one of the mothers and headed back toward the building. Then the shots had started and she freaked. Nothing stopped the images of Simon bleeding on the ground from parading through her brain. His flesh torn open, his eyes glazing as he struggled for his last breath. She couldn’t block the thoughts and so she’d rushed when she should have been careful.
The asshole caught her just rounding the corner of the neighboring building. Her gaze had been on the parking lot as she searched for Simon. The gun had been lax in her hand, her attention too far away. Joey disarmed her before she even knew he was there. And then she was pressed against the building with his arm across her throat as he buried his nose against her temple.
His inhale was loud and disgusting. Worse was the way he pulled back with a sneer.
“He mated you,” he spat. “A pot dealer in a better-off-dead suburb.”
“We can’t all be born in alligator shirts and ugly chinos.” No sense in telling him she didn’t deal pot. He wasn’t listening.
But he was damn fast.
He backhanded her. Quick and harsh. Her head slammed back against the wall and her cheek burned. But that was all she needed to move her fear into an icy cold rage. It cleared her mind and brought with it every self-defense tactic she’d ever learned. And a few that were all about maiming her assailant permanently.
But she never got the chance.
He was a great deal bigger than she was and he had her pinned against a brick wall. Right when she was about to slam on his instep, he spun her around and shoved her face-first into the brick. And he held her there with his weight and his minty Altoid breath while someone came up beside them to report.
“We’ve got a problem.”
“No shit, Sherlock. Who thought a bunch of old geezers could fight?”
Good for them. She hoped her friends had killed every single one of his henchmen. Just like she was going to do to him the second he gave her a chance.
That came a moment later when he turned to look over his shoulder at the building. She didn’t have much leverage, but damn she could head butt like nobody’s business. Or in this case rear her head back and try to break his nose.
It didn’t work. Or at least not as well as she’d wanted. She nailed him but not hard enough.
“Ow! You fucking bitch.”
She tried to squirm away, but his hold on her didn’t ease. And then he was pissed enough to slam her head forward again hard enough to make her see stars. Strangely enough it was the other guy who spoke reason.
“You can’t kill her,” the guy said. “They’re mated. He’ll kill us for sure.”
“He’s going to try. And that’s just what we want.”
Alyssa wanted to argue that she and Simon weren’t mated, but her face was pressed too hard against the brick. And she also guessed that she was the only one who cared about the distinction.
“But—” began the other guy.
“Shut up and do what I tell you. Find out who’s left.”
Bad guy bickering. God, could it get any worse?
She shouldn’t have even thought the question because a moment later, her biggest fear came true. First, they had to wait while the henchman tried to phone their buddies. No response, which made Alyssa all kinds of happy inside. But before she could make any snide comments, Joey zip-tied her wrists behind her back then spun her around. His choke hold was tight enough, but then she felt the hard press of metal against her temple.
She would have fought. Hell, she tried. But he was bigger and stronger. Worse, his forearm was so tight against her throat, it was all she could do to draw breath.
“Stand on that side,” he ordered his man. “The minute you can, shoot him.” Then he marched her into the narrow circle of yellow porch light and started bellowing for Simon.
It didn’t take long for him to appear. He stood in the shadows beside an old minivan, and she scanned every inch of him looking for bullet holes. Thankfully there weren’t any, but there sure as hell was blood on his clothes and a murderous look on his face.
But he didn’t move and he sure as hell didn’t speak. Thank God because where he stood was too protected for the asshole to get off a shot. And though she strained to get enough breath to warn Simon, she never got the chance. It was all she could do to get enough air to keep from passing out.
“Come out, you illiterate hick,” Joey bellowed. “You’ve got a decision to make.”
Don’t move, she thought as loud as she could. Don’t fall for it.
She shouldn’t have worried. When Simon got pissed, he got super rational, super cold. And at that moment, she was extremely grateful that he could shut off his emotions like a faucet. Meanwhile, she saw Vic step into the shadows on the opposite side of the minivan. His face was monstered up, but he seemed to be in complete control of himself. Good. Though it was bad that they were way too far away to save her.
And then Joey kept talking, his voice chilling in that he sounded bored and impatient. Like a kid in a Starbucks line rather than a guy threatening murder. “You know I just want you. You’re not fit to lead the Griz. So step out from that car and I’ll take care of it. Otherwise, she dies. And you still die a moment later.”
Where the hell were the police? And fire department? She’d heard the sirens. But in Detroit, they might just as easily be responding to a freeway pileup. And this wasn’t exactly an area of town anyone rushed to. But still…
“Last chance.”
It was those words that made up her mind. There was no rescue coming for her. Joey had his weapon pressed to her temple. And the other bastard had his gun out, pointed at Simon. She was dead for sure. At least she could try to save the man she loved.
Especially since Simon was moving. He was coming out into the light, but damn it, no way was she going to let him do that.
She took a moment to mouth the truth. She didn’t even have breath to put sound to it. Her lips shaped the words, “I love you,” and she prayed Simon saw it. Either way, there was no more time.
She went completely limp.
She’d once babysat a child who did that to her. Whenever she went to pick up the kid to force him do to what she wanted, the boy went completely boneless. Dead weight. Spaghettilike limbs. He would slide right out of her grasp.
She did that now and though she didn’t think it would save her from the bullet, it would at least distract the maniacal asshole for the moment it would take for Simon to do whatever Simon was going to do. Especially if the bastard thought she’d passed out from lack of oxygen.
It worked.
Joey cursed and tightened his grip, but she was spaghetti. She kept repeating that in her brain. A limp noodle. See how good he was at holding up dead pasta with one arm.
He wasn’t. But he also wasn’t bothering with her. Suddenly, he dropped her on the ground and started shooting. The other guy, too, and she had a split second of complete shock that she was free. But then she began fighting. She kicked. She punched. If it was near her, it was a bad guy and she was going to give it pain.
She fouled their footing and got kicked in the chest for her trouble. She landed a solid blow on the henchman’s knee and he went down with a curse. And still the deafening explosions above her until there was a wet splat. And silence.
Hell, the booming was still echoing in her head, so the silence seemed to pound on her. And she was still hitting Joey the bastard even as he crumpled before her. Didn’t matter. He wasn’t going to hurt Simon. He…He…
He didn’t have a face. Or at least not a recognizable one. And there was blood everywhere.
Oh shit.
She didn’t have enough time to process anything but that sight when suddenly she was scooped up again, this time from behind. Strong arms wrapped around her and she began to struggle, but a voice she recognized was murmuring her name.
“AlyssaAlyssaAlyssaAlyssa.”
Over and over as if it were one word.
Simon. Whole and strong as he carried her away.
She held on to him. She gripped his shoulders and buried her face in his neck. She shuddered against him even as she felt the steady tempo of his feet as he carried her far away. He was here. He was holding her. And they were both miraculously alive.
They were nearly two blocks away before she lifted her head. His breath was heaving like a freight train but his pace hadn’t slackened. And she knew it was time for him to stop.
“Simon,” she said against his ear. “Simon, you have to stop.”
He didn’t. But he did tighten his hold on her. She squeezed back, but she kept talking to him.
“I’m fine. I’m fine, but you have to set me down. You’re going to kill us both running like this. Simon, I’m fine.” And she had to see if he was fine, too. “Let me touch you. Let me know that you’re okay.”
“Alyssa. Alyssa. Alyssa.” Except instead of coming out as one word, her name came out as heaving exhales. Gasped as he tried to run.
“Simon,” she said. Then she pressed her mouth to his.
He couldn’t breathe like that. Neither could she. But she kept licking his lips until he came back to himself. Until the steady pound of his feet slowed. Until he pressed her against the siding of someone’s home and held her there while he breathed.
And still she whispered to him. “I’m fine. Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
“Alyssa.”
One last time. Spoken with a finality that told her he was calm now. Or at least more rational.
“Are you hurt?” she asked again.
“No. You?”
He was patting her down as he spoke, checking for wounds. His touch was frantic, but thorough, and she let him do it mostly because she could see how he moved, too. She watched for where he was tentative or jerky. She looked for scrapes or bruises and found a few, but none that was deep. Same for him as he touched her face. He probed gently at the swelling on her jaw and temple, but she covered his hand with hers.
“I’ve gotten worse playing basketball with Vic.”
“You’re safe now. He’s dead.”
She jerked. “Vic? Vic’s dead?”
“What? No. Vic’s fine. Joey’s dead.”
She winced at the memory that flashed through her mind. But with it came a huge wave of relief.
“I’m sorry,” he said as he stroked her cheek. “I’m sorry you had to see that. That he—”
“Don’t care about the visual,” she said. “Glad that he’s gone.” Then she stretched up to place a kiss on his mouth. “Thank you.”
“Wasn’t me. Vic grabbed the gun off the thieves. They would have noticed if I had one.”
She chuckled. Trust Simon to correct the details. “Doesn’t matter. You saved me, and I—”
He kissed her. Hard. Fast. Thoroughly. She returned it a thousand-fold and soon they were panting for another reason. But then he pulled back and she held onto his shoulders to keep herself steady.
“You’re mine now,” he said. “You know that right? You said you loved me. I saw it, and now you’re mine. Mated. Mine.”
So he had seen. She was glad. So glad that she said it again. “I love you. I always have. And I’m glad we’re mated or whatever—”
Her words were lost in another desperate kiss. It was like he was trying to imprint himself on her. Or her on him. It didn’t matter. They were together.
But then he slowed. Eventually he stopped as they separated to breathe. And in the quiet, she spoke the question that had been hovering in the back of her mind. The one she’d tried before but they’d been interrupted. But now, after what they’d just been through, she couldn’t imagine not knowing the answer.
“Do you think, Simon, that maybe…you know…” Lord, it wasn’t like her to get tongue tied, and he clearly knew it. He drew back with a frown.
“What?”
She took a deep breath and forced the words out. “Do you think you could love me, too? In time?”
He stared at her, his face expressionless. Then his eyes widened in shock as he dropped his forehead to hers. And then the most amazing sound came out. A chuckle. A low chuckle that turned into a laugh.
“Simon?”
He sobered at that, but he was still smiling as he answered. “I thought you understood. Mating is love. Think of the most amazing feeling you’ve ever had. Like, I don’t know, the first time you tasted ice cream or had a really good orgasm. That full body tingle that comes with intense pleasure.”
She frowned. Okay, so she understood that. But that wasn’t love in the way she was thinking. But before she could express that, he continued.
“Mating is like that only with need underneath. And it’s hunger, desire, and lust, too. But it’s also the kind of love that lasts for decades while kids and grandkids and great grandkids come around. That’s what finding your mate is like.”
She stared at him, shock echoing through her soul. He loved her like that? She didn’t think that was possible, not in the short time they’d been together. But she saw it in his eyes. He really felt like that. About her.
“What if it doesn’t work out between us?”
“I’ll still love you, but from a distance. If that’s what you really want.” His voice broke on that, but she didn’t doubt his words.
“What if I get Alzheimer’s or go crazy?”
“I’ll care for you every day. And I’ll love you every moment.”
She shook her head. “That’s crazy. You can’t have formed a bond like that already.”
He grinned. “I can. I have. And don’t think you can run away and it will fade. It won’t. This is locked in now. It’s done. And…” He took a deep breath. “I really hope you meant it when you said you loved me.”
She smiled. “Of course, I did. I do. I love you.” She was prepared this time for his kiss, but she lifted her hand up to stop him. She didn’t want to get distracted again. Not just yet.
“Simon, wait!”
He froze, his entire body expectant.
“Could you maybe say the words back to me? Just once?”
He blinked then grinned. “I love you, Alyssa. I love everything about you. And I’m going to love you with everything I am until the day I die. You’re my mate, my everything. And I really need to take you back to someplace safe so that I can show you how much pleasure a man can give to his mate.”
“I think you already covered that last night.”
He chuckled, and again it was the most beautiful sound. “Honey, you have no idea how much better it can get.”
“Then okay. Let’s do that,” she whispered. She might have said more, but he was kissing her. And she was kissing back. And they kept kissing until flashing red and blue lights illuminated them. Plus the bright spotlight of a high-powered flashlight.
And when Alyssa was going to ignore that, Simon abruptly broke their kiss to glare hard at the interruption. Then the spotlight pulled off their faces and she could finally see Detective Kennedy with his hands raised in an I-surrender gesture.
“I was just trying to see if you’re okay.”
Alyssa giggled, embarrassment making her spout words that she would normally keep inside. “We’re mated.”
“Yeah,” the cop said with a smirk. “I figured that out. Yesterday.”
She grinned, but rational questions were pushing to the fore of her brain. “How are you here? Is everyone else okay? How bad is the damage to my building?”
“Looking for you. The wounded are already on the way to the hospital. The rest are all fine. Including that high-as-a-kite hybrid. And as for the apartment building.” He exhaled with a sigh. “Fire’s there now, but the damage is pretty bad. You have insurance, right?”
She nodded, feeling a little sick inside. “I do. But my whole life was in there.”
“No,” Simon said as he touched her face and brought her around to look at him. “Your life is here.” He touched her chest, right above her beating heart.
She mimicked the gesture on him. “And here.”
He nodded. “We’ll figure out the rest.” Then he smiled. “Besides, I’ve been trying to think of what to do with the rest of Nanook’s money. Why not use it to build again? And maybe in a better neighborhood.”
“No!” she said, her voice sharp. “This neighborhood is my home. And those people are my family.” Then she smiled. “But I like the idea of rebuilding.”
“Good. Because I like the idea of making you happy. No matter what.”
She smiled and together with Detective Kennedy, they started walking back toward what used to be her home. She knew there would be lots to do. She had a whole building of people who needed to relocate. They had statements to make and details to iron out. Plus Detroit was still under quarantine, so that was going to make everything more complicated.
Even so, she smiled like a giddy school girl. He loved her. And she loved him.
“I think I can get used to being mated,” she said with a smile.
Simon drew her close and whispered into her ear. “As soon as I get you alone, I’m going to…” His words were graphic and very detailed. They made her blush hot and giggle while Detective Kennedy tried to look anywhere but at them. And all the while, Simon kept talking. Damn, the man was very logical and very thorough.
And she loved him all the more for it.
Then his words slowed, though his hold on her body remained intimate. And when his words stopped, she looked at him, a question on her lips. It died the moment she saw his face. It was wrinkled up in disgust.
“The water,” he said flatly. “It’s still bad.”
Kennedy straightened, his nostrils flaring as he inhaled the air. The fire truck was dumping gallons of water in a thick stream onto her laundromat. And though Alyssa couldn’t smell anything wrong, she believed that their grizzly noses could.
Meanwhile, Detective Kennedy was turning toward them, tilting his head close as he spoke in a low tone.
“About that,” he began. “I have an idea…”